Chapter 32

"Eliena!" Daine called. "We need to stop the Copper Isles reinforcements! Otherwise they'll get your mother!"

"Let's go then… do you know where they are?" Eliena asked.

"We passed them on our way here," Daine replied. She told Wingstar and Diamondflame, "We need to find the Yamani ships carrying the queen."

--No problem—Diamondflame said. They easily found the ships.

"Don't shoot!" Eliena yelled as Diamondflame neared the boat. "Its Princess Eliena! Where's my mother?"

"Eliena?" Alanna shoved her way past the men on the ship. "Thank the gods you're safe!"

"I'd hug you, but I'm not getting off," Eliena replied. Alanna smiled.

"I see you've made some new acquaintances," the Lioness remarked. Eliena smiled.

"I've actually come to tell you that you're going to run into reinforcements from the Copper Isles. So be ready," Eliena warned. Alanna nodded and peered at the ember around Eliena's neck.

"Is that…?" Eliena nodded. "Mithros, Eli, did you talk to the Goddess?" Again Eliena nodded. Alanna smiled. "So I'm not the only one She has Her hand on!"

"El, we'd better get going," Daine advised. "You're commanding."

"You're commanding? You are my daughter!" Alanna laughed. "Go… and stop worrying about me, Eliena. You and your father both think I'm some kind of soft lady!"

"Well, you never know!" Diamondflame flew up and took Eliena back to Legann.

She swooped over the troops, surveying. The group commanders were doing a fine job leading their men and women. Eliena noticed a black and ruby cloud, and turned to Daine, whose face was pale. Numair had found Inar Hadensra.

"He'll be fine," Eliena assured her friend.

"I hope so," Daine remarked. Eliena knew she would find out later. "Stormwing!" Eliena and Daine looked and saw a very familiar Stormwing flying toward them.

"Ozorne," they said together.

--Is he the one responsible for this war?—Wingstar asked.

"Yes," Eliena replied.

--Then we should take care of him—Diamondflame remarked sensibly.

"I agree," Daine said. When Ozorne saw the dragons moving toward him, he turned and started flying away. However, the dragons were much more powerful and caught him easily.

"Ah, Ozorne. We meet again," Eliena said, drawn sword sparkling in the sunlight. Down on the battlefield, all fighting had stopped at the sight of dragons and the shine of metal. The Tortallans all knew the girls were Daine and Eliena, and smiled with pride for their princess.

Ozorne spat curses at her, to which Eliena only said, "Now is that anyway to treat someone bigger, more powerful, more armed, and of a higher status than you?" Ozorne saw her sword. "That's right, Ozorne, god forged." With that, Diamondflame pulled forward just enough that Eliena could run the sword right through the middle of his head. Ozorne fell, and Eliena high-fived Daine.

A cheer came up from the Tortallans. "Tigress! Tigress! Tigress!" they chanted. Eliena flew low over them, beaming at their cheers.

"Win this for Tortall!" she yelled to them. They cheered again. "Charge!" Once again Diamondflame and Wingstar flew toward the enemy. Eliena and Daine fired arrows with deadly accuracy and speed at the enemy, piercing armor from above.

Suddenly, Eliena felt like she couldn't breathe. Daine gasped—somehow magic had gotten away from Numair and Inar, and the strength was too much for Eliena, who already had a strong Gift.

"Diamondflame, Eliena's going to faint!" Daine cried.

--Leave it to me—he said, sensing why. He took Eliena away from the battle and back to her father.

"Eliena!" the king cried. He took Eliena from the dragon's back. "What happened to her?

--The magic escaped the mages. Its hurting her—Diamondflame explained.

"Stupid!" Jonathan yelled. "He should've protected it…."

--There is nothing you can do now, mortal king. Try to save your daughter's life—Diamondflame said. He knew Eliena's future, and knew that she was to do great deeds as queen.

"How?" Jonathan asked. "I don't-" he stopped himself and took it a deep breath. He knew that, for a short period of time, he could carry Eliena's Gift along with his own.

--Do not take her Gift, king of Tortall, or it will be you, not your daughter, nearing the Black God—the dragon warned.

"Then what else am I to do?" Jonathan snapped. He stroked Eliena's hair. "Oh, my girl. My little girl. My little Eliena…" He pulled Eliena close to his chest and kissed her hair.

"Sire?" Jonathan looked up with red-rimmed blue eyes. Through his tears he saw Leo. "Sire!" Leo knelt on Eliena's other side. "She's not…is she?"

"I don't know," Jonathan replied softly. Leo brushed black hairs from Eliena's face—which was sickly pale. "She looks…" The king covered his face with his hands and sobbed.

"Dead," Leo finished quietly. "No." His eyes were filling looking at his friend.

Eliena's eyelids opened just enough to see the bottom of her violet eyes, which were foggy. "Father? Leo?" she asked.

"Eliena!" Jonathan put a large, cool hand to her forehead and turned white. She was burning up. "Eliena, can you hear me?"

"Yes," she replied weakly. She gasped. "Can't…breathe…" Her eyes shut again and her breathing became shallow and labored.

"NO!" Leo yelled. "Eli!" He shook her violently. "No! Eli, you can't! Come back, Eli!"

"She's fainted…for now," Jonathan told his squire.

"What do you mean, for now?" Leo asked, eyes full of worry.

"If Numair doesn't get Inar's magic under control soon, I don't think Eliena will last," Jonathan managed, taking a shaky breath. "If only her mother were here…"

"Let's get her armor off," Leo suggested. "It will help to cool her down."

They stripped Eli of her armor, but she was still very warm and pale. Tenderly, Jonathan kissed her forehead. "Pull out, Eliena. Pull out of it. I know you can." Jonathan looked at Leo. "Get Thom. Tell him to call Alanna immediately. Alanna-"

--No. I will take the boy to the queen—Diamondflame insisted.

"You OK with that?" Jonathan asked Leo.

"Anything for Eliena," he replied bravely. Leo swung onto Diamondflame to the queen.

Author's Note- oh, drama, wonderful drama. MSB-Leo was here! DO NOT FORGET THE POLL on my homepage. BTW- who's seen Superman Returns? Or a picture of Brandon Routh, who plays Superman? Anyway. Look him up- he's basically a human Jonathan! REVIEW.